Hoe attachment for tractors



July 29, 1952 o. c. I YTLE HOE ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Filed May 17, 1950 2 SHEETS- SHEET l July 29, 1952 o. c. LYTLE Y Hoa ATTACHMENT ma TRAcToRs 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed May 17, 1950 Patented July 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,604,833 HOE ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Orville C. Lytle, Ki'ttanning, Pa. Application May 17, 1950,*Serial No. 162,515

(Cl. {J7-45) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a hoe unit of a character to operate between plant rows or between plants of a row while in transit and it is an object of the invention to provide a unit of this kind which can be readily mounted in required position upon a tractor or other vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unit wherein is embodied a ground working member adapted to be operated mechanically from the vehicle to which the unit may be applied.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved hoe unit whereby certain advantages are attained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a hoe unit constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view in rear elevation of Figure l with the elongated rod in fragment;

Figure 3 is a view in top plan of the unit as comprised in Figure 1, a second position of certain of the parts being shown by broken lines;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a view in perspective of the drive shaft of the unit unapplied; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the inner end portion of the frame as herein comprised and unapplied.

1n the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, I denotes a relatively heavy body member or plate herein disclosed as oblong and provided along its longitudinal marginal portion with the outstanding reinforcing anges 2. The body member or plate I is adapted to be rigidly secured to a cross front member or the like of a tractor or other vehicle with the longitudinal axis of the member or plate I vertically disposed and the iianges 2 inwardly directed. As shown in the drawings, the member or plate I is provided with the openings 3 for suitable bolts or the like for anchoring the member or plate in desired position but of course other means may be employed for this purpose.

Welded, as at 4, or otherwise rigidly secured 2 to the upper free corner portions of the flanges 2, is the bearing sleeve 5 disposed across the upper end of the member or plate I and substantially entirely thereabove. Disposed through the sleeve 5 is a shaft 6 of a length to extend outwardly beyond the opposite ends of the sleeve 5.

One extending portion of the shaft has keyed, as at 1, a pulley 8, adapted to be connected by the belt 9, shown by broken lines, with a power pulley or the like carried by the tractor or other vehicle to which Vthe unit is employed.

The second or 'opposite extended portion of the shaft 6 carries a crank I0 of desired throw which is provided at its outer or free end portion with an outstanding pin II, the axis of which being substantially parallel with the axis of the shaft 6. Freely mounted on the pin II, is a sleeve I2 held in place by a cotter pin I4 disposed through the shaft 6 outwardly of the applied sleeve I2.

Rigid with the sleeve I2 is a second sleeve I 5 at right angles to the sleeve I2 and positioned in advance thereof. Disposed through the sleeve I5 from above is a headed pivot bolt I5 which is also disposed through the spaced arms I'I extending outwardly from the inner extremity of an elongated rod I8. The arms I1 substantially snugly receive therebetween the sleeve I5. The pivot bolt I6 is held against displacement by a cotter pin I9, or the like, operatively engaged with the bolt I6 beneath the lower arm I'I.

The outer end portion of the rod I8 is tubular to receive the shank 20 of the hoe 2i or other ground working member. The hoe or ground working member 2| can be readily removed as desired by withdrawing the holding cotter pin 22 disposed through the rod I8 and shank 2Q.

The rod I8 at a desired point intermediate its ends has welded, as at 23, an underlying sleeve 24 substantially perpendicular to the rod i8. overlying the ends of the sleeve 24 are the upper end portions of the rigid links 25 and through which upper portions of the links 25 is directed the headed pivot member 26 held against accidental displacement of the cotter pin 2l or the like operatively engaged with the member 26 of an adjacent link 25.

The lower extremities of the links 25 overlie the opposite ends of a sleeve 28 carried by the forward free end portions of a frame F. Disposed through this sleeve 28 and the overlying portions of the links 25 is a headed pivot member 29 held against accidental displacement by a cotter pin 30 or the like, carried by the member 29 outwardly of the adjacent link 25.

The frame F is of a skeleton type and includes a straight bottom member 3| and a top member 32 disposed upwardly and rearwardly from the sleeve 28 and terminating in an arm 33 substantially parallel with the inner end portion of the member 3|.

Rigidly attached, as at 34, to the flange 2 at the side oi the member or plate I adjacent to the crank I0, is a sleeve 35 disposed in a direction lengthwise of the body member or plate The rear or free end portion of the bottom member 3| of the frame F underlies the sleeve 35 and the arm 33 overlies the same. Disposed from above through the sleeve 35 and the adjacent portions of the bottom member 3| and arm 33 of the frame F is the headed pivot member 36 held against accidental displacement' by a cotter pin 31 or the like, operatively engaged with the pivot member 36 below the bottom member 3| of the frame F.

Rigid with the arm 33 of the frame F and extending across and beyond the opposite side of the body member or plate is an arm 38 to the outer or free extremity of which is operatively engaged, as at 39, an end portion of an elongated pull rod 40, rearwardly beyond the body member or plate a distance to allow the same to be manipulated by an occupant of the tractor or the vehicle to which the unit is applied to laterally swing the frame F together with the rod |8 as desired. i

The flange 2 of the body member or plate adjacent to the pull rod 40, is provided with an outstanding guide loop 4| through which the rod 40 passes.

The unit is attached to the tractor or other vehicle to allow the hoe 2| or kindred ground working member to be effected between adjacent plant rows but when desired such hoe 2| or the like may be permitted to work between adjacent plants of a row by an occupant giving proper push upon the rod 40. As the machine travels along the plant row the oscillation of the rod |8 will cause the hoe 2| or the like to have required action on the soil.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a hoe unit constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

1. In a hoe attachment for tractors, an elongated member pivoted for lateral swinging movements at its forward end to the rear end of the tractor, a hoe including an elongated handle, said handle being obliquely inclined in an upward and forward direction and pivoted intermediate its ends to the rear end of said member, means mounted on said member and operatively connected with the power plant of the tractor and the upper end of said handle for imparting vertical oscillating motions to the handle and hoe, and manually actuated means for changing the lateral positions of said member as required to avoid damage to plants by the chopping movements of the hoe.

2. The invention as defined in claim l, with the said member in the form of an open, substantially triangular frame, and the pivot mounting of the handle comprising a link pivoted at one end to the apex end of the frame and at its other end to the handle.

3. The invention as dened in claim l, with a horizontal bearing offset from one side of the forward end of said member, a shaft journalled in said bearing, a crank at one end of said shaft, a bearing on the upper end of said handle and engaged by said crank, a pulley mounted on the other end of said shaft, and a wrapping connector leading from said pulley to the power takeoff of the tractor.

ORVILLE C. LYTLE.

No references cited. 

